Liverpool and Barcelona have been linked with Diego Carlos.
According to Sport, Barcelona want to sign Liverpool target Diego Carlos and they are hatching a plan to include Ivan Rakitic in the deal.
The Sevilla defender has been heavily linked with an exit this summer.
Liverpool’s interest has been known for a while with ABC Sevilla claiming the Reds have already contacted Sevilla sporting director Monchi about him.
But the latest reports suggest Liverpool have a fight on their hands.
Sport claim Barca have made the Brazilian defender their top summer target. His current £65 million asking price is too high for the Spanish giants.
The Catalan club, however, will look to use Rakitic to balance out the deal.
The Croatia international joined Barca from Sevilla back in 2014. Rakitic sees Sevilla as his home, with his wife’s family coming from the region.
Rakitic, 32, has fallen out of favour somewhat at the Nou Camp, starting just ten La Liga games this season. A summer exit has been mooted, and a return to Sevilla makes plenty of sense should Carlos head the other way.
It would soften the blow for Sevilla to lose their star player.
Carlos has enjoyed an excellent campaign at Sevilla so far. He has started 22 La Liga games, averaging 4.8 clearances and an 83.4% pass-accuracy rate (Whoscored).
Liverpool, meanwhile, still have the resources to get him.
Sport add that Reds boss Jurgen Klopp sees Carlos as the perfect partner for Virgil van Dijk with Joel Matip and Joe Gomez as backup.
The Premier League leaders used their financial clout to seal deals for Van Dijk and Alisson. There is no reason they can’t do the same with Carlos.
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